On May 16, 2024, The European Commission announced a significant investment in defense, with a list of 54 ambitious industrial projects backed by a budget of over one billion euros. Two key initiatives focus on the development of advanced main battle tanks (MBTs), including the MARTE (Main ARmored Tank of Europe) led by a German Company, and the FMBTech (Technologies for existing and Future MBTs) led by a French Company.
The first project, MARTE, is a testament to the power of collaboration. Spearheaded by the MARTE ARGE GbR consortium, it brings together defense industries from Germany, Italy, Sweden, Estonia, Lithuania, Spain, Belgium, Norway, Greece, Romania, Finland, and the Netherlands. This diverse group is united by a common goal: to create a new MBT platform that integrates innovative and disruptive technologies to meet current and future threats and requirements.
Key players in this consortium include Germany’s Krauss-Maffei Wegmann [KNDS Deutschland], and Rheinmetall with its five subsidiaries, Hensoldt and Renk. Belgium’s John Cockerill Defence and FN Herstal, Sweden’s Saab and BAE Bofors, Finland’s Patria, and Italy’s Leonardo and Iveco are also integral to the project.
While France is not involved in the MARTE project, it plays a significant role in another key initiative called FMBTech. Coordinated by France and led by Thales, this project includes partners from Belgium, Germany (represented by Scertas GmbH), Finland, Norway, Italy, Greece, Spain, Slovenia, Slovakia, Poland, Ireland, the Czech Republic, and Cyprus.
The FMBTech project, with a budget of 20 million euros, is a beacon of innovation. It aims to enable existing and future European MBTs to achieve the highest operational effectiveness and mission success. The project will define and specify innovative technologies for a combat tank system architecture, with an emphasis on digital capabilities, interactions with robotic systems, and the integration of artificial intelligence.
Notable industry participants in FMBTech include KNDS France, Arquus (soon to be acquired by John Cockerill Defence), MBDA, Safran, and the French subsidiary of Germany’s Hensoldt.